THE NatsGM Unofficial Official Baltimore Orioles Top-11 Prospect List

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Ryan Sullivan

After a string of poor draft results five to ten years ago, the Baltimore Orioles currently have an intriguing yet puzzling farm system on the whole. Several prospects, namely Dylan Bundy and Hunter Harvey, struggled mightily with injuries in 2015 and the presence of Kevin Gausman, Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop on the big league roster leaves the minor leagues feeling a bit more barren than perhaps it should.

Nonetheless, as the calendar now says February and the offseason is nearly over, I figured this to be an ideal time to analyze the Orioles’ farm system to rank their top prospects. My criterion for this list prioritizes, in order, the prospect’s possible ceiling, their likelihood to fulfill their potential, their positional value, and finally, how far they are from reaching the major leagues. With this in mind, here is my unofficial official 2016 Baltimore Orioles Top-11 prospects.

#11 D.J. Stewart OF

The Orioles 1st Round selection, 25th overall, last summer from Florida State University, Stewart is a polished collegiate left-handed hitter who swings from a pronounced crouch and has shown the ability to hit to all fields. He does not possess much speed and his fringe-average arm makes him a pure left field profile, putting significant pressure on his bat to eventually reach the majors.

#10 Jonah Heim Catcher

The 20-year-old Heim struggled through a difficult year in 2015, as he only played 45 games due to injuries. The Orioles’ 4th round pick in 2013, Heim was drafted as an advanced defensive catcher who was raw offensively as a switch-hitter. Heim is clearly above-average behind the dish, with quality blocking and receiving skills plus a strong throwing arm with a quick release. At the plate Heim shows impressively in batting practice but has yet to turn this potential into production on the field. Heim needs copious repetitions and game experience to reach his potential, but his impressive defensive skills give him a chance to develop into a major league catcher.

#9 Tanner Scott LHP

A 6th round selection last summer, the Orioles appear to have stumbled onto a draft day gem in Scott, a left-handed reliever armed with 94-98mph fastball and a hard low-80s slider. Scott, 21-years-old, profiles purely as a reliever but projects to have a plus-plus fastball and an average or slightly better slider, giving him potential to pitch in the back of a bullpen. He should begin this season in A-Ball and could reach Baltimore late in 2017 or 2018.

#8 David Hess RHP

Another quality Day 2 draft pick by Baltimore, the Orioles selected David Hess in the 5th round in 2014 out of Tennessee Tech. The 22-year-old Hess features a solid 4-pitch mix including a 90-94mph fastball with life, along with an 82-84mph slider with sweeping action. Additionally Hess shows a low-70s curveball he can locate in the strike zone, along with the occasional firm, mid-80s changeup.

Although he has four pitches, his future might reside in the bullpen, where his fastball and slider could both become above-average offerings. Hess made a cameo at Double-A Bowie last summer and could reach Baltimore sometime in 2017. Hess is a major league quality arm and looks like a steal for the Orioles.

#7 Chris Lee LHP

Lee was acquired from the Houston Astros for two international bonus slots worth $655,000, and this appears to have been a solid gamble for Baltimore as he blossomed after the trade. The 23-year-old Lee possesses a solid 3-pitch repertoire, featuring a mid-90s fastball, a low-80s slider with bite and a reasonable changeup. Although many scouts believe his future resides in the bullpen, his potential for three fringe-average or better pitches gives him a chance to be a back-end starter in the future.

#6 Ryan Mountcastle 3B

One of my favorite high school prospects in this past draft, Baltimore selected Mountcastle 36th overall from a Florida high school based off his impressive track record in amateur showcases. Mountcastle was a shortstop in high school, but his present 6-3 185lbs frame portends a future shift to third base or the outfield. He possesses noticeable, lightning-fast bat speed from the right-side, which gives him the potential to hit for both average and power. There is risk in his profile, but there is the potential he develops into a league-average third baseman in several years.
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#5 Mychal Givens RHP

Originally drafted by the Orioles as a shortstop in the 2nd round of the 2009 draft, Givens made the fulltime conversion to pitching in 2013 and has flourished on the mound. Although a pure relief profile, the 25-year-old Givens overwhelms hitters with a mid-to-upper-90s fastball and a plus slider from a unique arm-slot. Givens dominated at Double-A Bowie last season before earning a 30 inning audition with the Orioles, posting a 1.80 ERA and 38 strikeouts in the majors. He should begin next season pitching for Baltimore in middle relief and be a major cog in their bullpen the rest of the decade.

#4 Chance Sisco Catcher

Drafted by Baltimore in the 2nd round in 2013, the Orioles immediately transitioned the high school shortstop to behind the plate. His natural athleticism is evident defensively, but the shift has not gone as smoothly as the organization had hoped, as he struggles blocking errant throws in the dirt and receiving pitches. His footwork needs work but Sisco does show a strong arm throwing out runners and works extremely hard to refine his skills. Baltimore still believes the almost 21-year-old will develop into a major league caliber catcher, though most scouts do not agree with their assessment.

At the plate, Sisco can flat out hit, as he possesses a compact left-handed swing with some raw pull power, although he generally prefers to hit line drives all over the field. He has tremendous hand-eye coordination and shows an aptitude to put the barrel on the baseball. There is little question Sisco will hit his way to the major leagues, but his eventual defensive position remains a mystery like who shot JFK.

#3 Hunter Harvey RHP

The son of former major league pitcher Bryan Harvey, Hunter was the Orioles 1st round choice, 22nd overall, in the 2013 MLB Draft. After some minor adjustments to his pitching motion that summer, Harvey blossomed, featuring a 91-95mph fastball, a true hammer curveball with plus potential and the makings of a solid-average changeup. Harvey was shut down late in 2014 and did not take the mound last season, making his health a major concern clouding his potential development. If he can put these injuries behind him, Harvey has #2 starter potential with experience on the mound and the maturation of his arsenal.

#2 Dylan Bundy RHP

Baltimore’s 1st Round selection in 2011, 4th overall, Bundy dominated Low-A Delmarva in early 2012 in route to becoming the near-consensus top pitching prospect in the minor leagues. Unfortunately Bundy has lost much of the past three seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Prior to surgery, Bundy possessed a 94-97mph fastball, a devilish plus-plus cutter, an above-average curveball and above-average changeup, along with excellent command of the strike zone. Bundy enters 2016 out of minor league options, meaning he must make the Opening Day roster or be exposed to waivers. While complications in his development exist, Bundy still has top-of-the-rotation potential if he can ever return to full health.

#1 Jomar Reyes 3B/1B

Reyes began 2015 like an unknown penny-stock and ended the year like the next Twitter, as the 18-year-old punished Low-A pitching to the tune of a .278/.334/.440 batting line with 5 home runs and 27 doubles in 309 at-bats. Reyes is already a physical monster, looking significantly bigger than his listed 6-3 220lbs. Reyes shows above-average or better bat speed, excellent mechanics and balance throughout his simple right-handed swing. He generates loft and back spin off the bat, and the ball sounds different off the bat than others at this level, as if he is swinging a sledgehammer on a “Strength-Tester” carnival game. Like most young power hitters, his swing can get a touch long and he will need to shorten it as he moves through the minors, but he has quick wrists and the raw bat speed to hit professional velocity.

Defensively questions exist about his future defensive position, primarily due to his massive frame at such a precocious age. Reyes flashes a strong arm and reasonable agility for a big man, but his current below-average speed means a position shift is most likely across the diamond at the cold corner.

Regardless of his eventual defensive position, it is rare to find a young hitter with such a good approach and sound swing mechanics at such a young age. If everything develops, Reyes has the potential to be a .280-.300 type hitter with 25-35 home run power in the future. Orioles’ fans must remain patient with this teenager, but Reyes has the chance to be a legitimate middle-of-the-order impact major league hitter at his peak.

https://youtu.be/BfGc48lAPh0

The Washington Nationals Agree To Terms With Bronson Arroyo

Posted on January 27, 2016 by Ryan Sullivan

Late Tuesday evening, after several days of rumor and speculation, the Washington Nationals agreed to terms on a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with veteran right-handed starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo. According to reports, Arroyo will earn a $2 million base salary if he makes the Nationals’ roster, with an additional $6 million in performance-based incentives. Arroyo played for new Nationals’ manager Dusty Baker in Cincinnati for six years and this reunion allows him the opportunity to compete for a spot on a playoff contender this season.

The almost 39-year-old Arroyo has not pitched since June 2014 after falling victim to Tommy John surgery. Before this injury Arroyo had established himself as one of the most durable pitchers in baseball, throwing 199+ innings annually from 2005-2013. He does not possess elite stuff, as his fastball barely touches 87mph, but rather survives by limiting his walks (2.4 BB/9 career) and home runs allowed (1.2 HR/9). During his 15-year major league career Arroyo owns a 4.19 ERA, 4.37 xFIP, and a 5.81 K/9 ratio over his 2,364.2 innings pitched. In summary, if you look up “veteran innings-eating starting pitcher” in a baseball dictionary, Arroyo’s picture will be prominently displayed.
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Arroyo’s signing gives the Washington rotation veteran depth it was previous lacking on their roster. Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez comprise a formitable top-3, with Tanner Roark and Joe Ross projected as the #4 and #5 starters. However, questions surround Roark’s return to the rotation, along with how Ross will respond in his first full major league season. And prior to this signing, only “The Phenomenal One” A.J. Cole appeared to be major league ready depth behind the projected top-5. Now Arroyo offers a nice safety net in case of poor performance or injuries to the rotation. Plus he provides a potential bridge to the arrival of prospects Lucas Giolito or Reynaldo Lopez later in 2016.

Much like most minor league contracts, there is a chance Arroyo never pitches an inning for Washington due to his injury or current place on the depth chart. Nonetheless Arroyo does provide the organization with something they previously lacked, namely experienced depth serving as their “#6” starting pitcher. Assuming he is healthy nearly 19 months post-surgery, I believe Arroyo will secure a spot on the 25-man Opening Day roster and head north with Washington. There is virtually no risk involved in this deal, and the potential Arroyo returns to form as a league-average starting pitcher, making this a shrewd, intriguing gamble by Washington’s front office.

Poll – Should The National League Adopt The DH?

Posted on January 23, 2016 by Ryan Sullivan

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Heroes Of Half Street – Former Washington National Michael Morse

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Ryan Sullivan

Michael Morse (Cheryl Nichols/District Sports Page)

The early seasons of baseball’s return to Washington produced some poor teams, as the franchise attempted to rebuild from years of neglect in Montreal. Like a bad high school breakup, many Nationals’ fans would prefer to simply forget 2006-2011 – however, one of the happy memories from this period is former Washington slugger Michael Morse. Armed with a batting stance like a coiled cobra and known affectionately as “The Beast”, Morse brought “Beast Mode” to NatsTown and became one of the most popular players in franchise history.

Morse was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 3rd round of the 2000 MLB Draft by way of a Florida high school. He would spend four years in their minor league system before being traded, along with Miguel Olivo and Jeremy Reed, to Seattle for Freddy Garcia and Ben Davis in June 2004. Morse would spent the next four seasons bouncing between Seattle and the minors, playing a total of 107 games for the Mariners between 2005-2008.

In what was considered a minor swap at the time, on June 28, 2009 the Washington Nationals traded OF Ryan Langerhans to Seattle for a then 27-year-old minor leaguer Morse. At the time Morse was regarded as an oversized shortstop and a defensive liability. He spent several weeks in Washington’s minor leagues before receiving a promotion on August 21st. Morse finished 2009 with 3 home runs and 10 RBIs in 52 at-bats for the Nationals.

2010 was another disappointing season for Washington, but Morse took advantage of the available playing time to hit .289/.352/.519 with 15 home runs and 41 RBIs in 266 at-bats. This performance set up Morse for substantial playing time in 2011 as part of a left field platoon with OF Laynce Nix.

Although he led the Grapefruit League with 9 home runs, Morse started the season slowly in 2011 and was relegated to primarily a pinch hitting capacity by mid-May. However, a season-ending injury to Adam LaRoche forced Morse into a starting role at first base. This consistent playing time allowed him to blossom offensively. From the time Morse took over on May 22 through July 5th, Morse hit 13 homers and drove in 35 runs, earning him one of five places in the voting for the final spot on the All-Star roster. Overall Morse completed 2011 with a .303/.360/.550 battling line with 31 home runs and 95 RBIs, establishing himself as a legitimate right-handed major league slugger.

Morse again struggled to begin the 2012 season, this time due to a back injury and spent the first two months of the season on Washington’s disabled list. Once he returned, Morse continued to be a productive hitter, batting .291/.321/.470 with 18 home runs in 108 games played. In addition he was a major reason Washington won 98 games that season. Unfortunately he entered the offseason in a quagmire, as Washington needed to make a decision to either re-sign free agent Adam LaRoche or commit to Morse at the cold corner.

On January 16th, 2013 general manager Mike Rizzo made the difficult decision to trade Morse, sending him in a 3-way deal with Seattle and Oakland, in return for prospects A.J. Cole and Blake Treinen, along with a Player To Be Named Later, eventually Ian Krol. Morse began 2013 bouncing between left and right field for Seattle in between stints on the disabled list, swatting 13 home runs in 76 games for the Mariners before a late August trade to the Orioles. The move to Baltimore was an epic failure, as Morse only hit .103/.133/.103 in 29 September at-bats before entering free agency.
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The San Francisco Giants signed Morse to a 1-year $6 million contract that offseason to start in left field and provide right-handed power. Although his defense in their expansive left field was aesthetically unappealing, Morse provided the Giants with a .279/.336/.475 batting line and 16 homers over 131 games played. Furthermore, Morse played a role as postseason hero for San Francisco, sparking improbable rallies in Game 5 of the NLCS and Game 7 of the World Series.

Again Morse reached free agency that winter but this time he signed a 2-year $16 million contract with the Miami Marlins to be their starting first baseman and lineup protection for slugger Giancarlo Stanton. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned for Morse, as he lost his job to Justin Bohr by May and was shipped to the Dodgers in a “salary dump” 3-team deal in July. The Dodgers promptly designated him for assignment and on July 31st Morse was traded to Pittsburgh for Jose Tabata.

He rebounded with the Pirates, batting .275/.390/.391 in 45 total games for Pittsburgh. As of today, Morse enters 2016 projected to be in a platoon in the Steel City, competing with recent acquisitions John Jaso and Jason Rogers for playing time at first base.

Michael Morse will always have a permanent place as a Nationals’ fan-favorite due to his monster home runs, infectious smile and outgoing personality. In addition to these qualities, all of which are true, I fondly recall Morse because he was perhaps the only player who took advantage of the available playing time on a rebuilding team to develop himself into a successful major league player.

Injuries have limited his overall big league production, but few played harder in Washington or are more enjoyable to watch take club a baseball than Morse. Here’s to another season of health and success in 2016, except against Washington, and I eagerly anticipate the day when Michael Morse is inducted in the Nationals’ Ring of Honor.

* Special Thank You to Cheryl Nichols of District Sports Page for generously sharing her impressive photos! *